X-Message-Number: 3804 From: (GeorgeSmit) Newsgroups: sci.cryonics Subject: re: Uploading, Identity and popular choosing of same Date: 5 Feb 1995 20:25:02 -0500 Message-ID: <3h3tpe$> Let us suppose for a moment that it is never objectively possible to determine whether a "reproduced" individual is actually the "original." In other words, we arrive at a future day when it is possible to create what seems to all intent and purposes to be a duplicate of another person. If that day I arrives, I believe that very quickly, many people will want that service in the event of their personal deaths. Why? For the same reason many people will purchase life insurance to care for their family's finances. Commonly, the individual wants to care for his survivors even if he firmly believes that he will never be around to know about it (really dead!). I can easily expect that this would be the ultimate form of life insurance. Imagine the life insurance agent's sales pitch: "Mr. Smith, you are absolutely right. In the event of your death, you will die and this duplicate of you may not really be you at all. That's true. But think for a moment of your wife. If you die and do not allow Renewed Life Assurance Company to duplicate you, your wife will see it as your death too. She will be a widow and suffer the grief and loneliness of never seeing you alive again. "But this doesn't have to be! Mr. Smith, your wife needs the emotional and financial support only you can offer her. I can't guarantee that this is eternal life for you, that's true. But your wife doesn't need to ever lose you! You can always be there for her. "Furthermore, Mr. Smith, do you want to lose your wife? Accidents happen. They happen all the time. (Meaningful pause). Right now, Mr. Smith, you could lose your wife forever or ...you can sign this introductory premium waiver and you will both be fully covered immediately. This comes with a fifty-year, renewable reconstruction guarantee so that no matter what happens neither one of you will ever lose the other. Neither of you will ever have to lose the other. Your love will endure! "Now Mr. Smith, do you love your wife? Do you want to lose her to one of those weekly terrorist bombings at the mall? Do you want her to really lose you forever? And don't you really want to protect her and shield her from these dangers? Well would you prefer e-cash or credit?" My belief is that if it can happen, it will happen because of human nature. Cryonics has had a rough go in attracting popular participation because it is unproven and not a normal part of the death business (yet). If human duplication becomes possible, it certainly would enter into the insurance industry in very short order. Furthermore, if human duplication proved to be less expensive than the standard insurance payoff benefit, it would be far more desirable to keep the "stiff" working for a living making money for his family anyway. (I might consider starting my own company, in that event: Happy Zombie Life Assurance Company or, possibly, Eternal Taxpayer Life Assurance Company or, again, Husband Back-Up Services, Incorporated). My whole point is that whether or not uploading or any other version of human simulation *ever* proves to be "survival" for the individual, it would be the same to others around that individual and therefore be a cause for that individual to want to have it. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=3804